The argument put out by the Sony apologists that if you don't like Sony's new direction you can always jump ship is a total load.
It wouldn't worry me all that much to get into another brand or have an additional brand, but it would bother others who have invested large in Sony A-mount gear, especially if compatibility problems become more evident as time goes on, the market value of their gear would diminish accordingly.
The bottom line is Sony has a responsibility to those who have supported Sony, and that responsibility means supporting the existing mount with models and accessories that is compatible with what they have sold before and that includes a good OVF camera model, and I don't mean having to buy a FF and a bunch of Zeiss lenses.
Sony is perfectly entitled to go off on an SLT tangent if they want but they still have a responsibility to existing DSLR owners, so instead of moving the goal posts after the game has started they should have the SLT as an ADDITIONAL line, not the ONLY line, it doesn't matter if the SLT outsells the OVF DSLR's for a while, Sony should not just drop the OVF DSLR in APS-C.
Sony can cough up three new models before morning tea if the want, they've done that before today, so where's the problem for an upgrade for the existing A700? the body already exists, all that's needed is an internal refresh and an update...I think it would surprise everyone how well a traditional 7 series OVF DSLR with one of the latest sensors (with no video compromises) would sell.
Greg

Well Gregg the other manufacturers have changed mounts, and it has not stopped them and the biggest one for doing that is Canon the EOS mount for one.
Nikon has changed quite a bit, Olympus is in a world of its own now, Pentax has so many variations of their “K” mount even teleconverters on that system don’t work that well, and as yet Pentax have not made a new version, Samsung tried to come into the DSLR market on the back of Pentax and failed as did Panasonic, one reason for me now using Sony/Minolta kit I can still use older very good AF lenses and teleconverters on many faster lenses.
Give Sony a little more time and with their massive finances they will eventually cater for even more.
It works for me and quite a few others, “the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence” I know I have tried them, I wish I had found Sony earlier but I was put off by some that run Sony down as no hopers, Are they scared or something?
Regards
Richard

Not sure who the "Sony apologists" are but maybe they could be identified. I don't consider myself an apologist. I have given an opinion. The fact that I purchased an A580 when I did not need it yet indicates that I am all for more DSLRs (also in APS-C size) from the Sony stable. I am providing a personal opinion, which is that the A580 will be the last Sony DSLR with an APS-C sensor. That is a personal opinion and does not carry a tag that says I agree with the way Sony are moving. I am also prepared to state that the advent on NEX cameras is a move in the right direction and provides a quality camera without a great weight or volume premium. Having spent most of my time in sales and marketing it is also clear that the only way to beat a duopoly such as CaNikon is to circumvent them and create a new market. Leave them trailing instead of leading. That is what Sony are trying to do. You can like or loathe it but it makes commercial sense if you have the technology and muscle. Possibly Sony saw this avenue when they bought Minolta and just needed the time to implement their strategy. Trying to map out what Sony is doing does not create an "apologist" in itself.

I quite agree with you on that one, so many companies have folded or have been taken over for non advancement in technology and that not only applies to photographic gear.
Regards
Richard

Those 'video compromises' brought us the sensors capable of much faster readout, thus making the slow readout for the stills much more precise at the same old slow timing... Means much lower read noise!

What you propose is a Sony equivalent of a Nikon D7000 that sells quite poorly, btw.
So, in all actuality, you may have a 7-series camera, but only if it really attracts a lot of attention from those who buy it for the sexy kicks that you would never need or use. Deal with that...

And, btw, having a 7-series Nex may really make much more business sense. There are sexed-up crowds quite primed already to swallow such a product.

So the a7xxxxx should better have as many common parts with that 'Nex7' as it might ever be possible.

Forgive me for using the "P" word but let's take the Pentax K-5 smaller player in the market nowhere near the strength of the top two makers (though apparently doing fairly decently in recent times) So if Pentax can justify a high end APS-C model with a decent OVF why not Sony?

I don't buy into this "Sony have to do something different" Shockingly even a well known DPR reviewer has come out and said that's the direction they should take. Think about it..the K-5 isn't going to sell anywhere near the levels of the D7000 or Canon 7d so why bother? Well they have done and I expect the company will make a decent profit and sales on that model and other bodies.

I've no idea where this SLT or nothing argument came from if smaller players have the resources to put into developing models such as that what's Sony's excuse? There are many examples of smaller makers in industries across the world that seem to be able to not only hold their own but offer products that are respected and find an audience (not just photo related any industry) Is Sony really so worked up about being the no. 1 or 2 player in the industry? I'd love someone to explain this to me it makes no sense at all

Ok Barry why if Pentax are so good are many of the K5's being returned with faults? This happened with the K7 as well.
My friend has a K5 or should I say had a K5 and is still waiting for a replacement body
Also you really do not intend to buy into the more expensive camera gear so why gripe about what Sony or any other manufacturer is doing?
You have made it plain over and over again so many times it is now getting very boring that you don’t like the path that Sony is taking.
Please say something that is constructive if you want to say anything more.

Barry, the higher-end Pentax DSLRs have a limited and relatively faithful following. So the manufacturer simply has to fill-in that following with new models, and that's about it.
It's much like some artisan's business - limited production, limited clientele, long lead time at servicing. They may survive forever like that if they make no bad mistakes.

Sony could, in principle, have a small separate factory doing the same kind of business. But that would be less than peanuts on their sheets. And it doesn't help improving their image much, as that's essentially the same thing as the others are already doing.

Sony seems to aim at something bigger. And I find great fun staying with A-mount at these times. Still if I had to earn a living with that gear, I'd be seriously nervous...

I'm aware of the problems they have had with sensor spots etc as I've said in the past being an early adopter can lead to problems!
Back on track the points above still do not address the point I raise all makers have a "loyal following" to which they can sell new products at all levels from top to bottom. The reality is that Sony do not have to make a choice about SLT or DSLR they can meet the needs of both users fairly easily. The A700 design sits on the drawing board and an updated sensor and adjustments to design and spec would not even take that long. Yet they choose to pour money into developing an entirely new type of product costing far more to produce than updating what is to many a very solid offering body wise.

I think a few folks are simply going to have to accept that Sony will never be no. 1 or no. 2 in the camera industry now or in 20 years. Once you get your head around that part the prospect of being a serious no. 3 player means you can happily product quality products that can still do well in the market. On the contrary I think the K-5 is a very important part for that maker and in the same way the A700 was and should be. Continued delays and a lack of higher end APS-C body have hurt Sony for a period of well over a year and more.

Scooterman at some stage you'll have to admit I have a point and the K-5 is a brick in your "Sony needs to change" window

Why not put a poll up and see how many would buy a 7d/D7000/K-5 equivalent for A mount I think you know that it would go down a storm with A mount users.

Perhaps this is the very genesis of the main conflicts that exist when we argue over the future of sony. There is no question that if they were content wit 5-10% market share they could quite happily churn out pentax type traditional cameras till the cows come home, and do OK, just like pentax do.

If, on the other hand, their objetcive is to get more than 20% share or die trying it makes sense to ignore old users and get new ones, as there will be more of them in the long run. It makes sense to start new technologies and take risks on untraditional approaches. It makes sense, in other words, of everything that sony is doing.

Barry says they should give up and just choose the first option above. Instead they are totally dedicate to the second, like it or not. The sooner people take this on board, the sooner we'll get over all these ideological discussions.

The D7000 might sell poorly because of production problems, it's Sony Nikon are relying on to supply the sensor after all. I get the impression Sony can't supply enough sensors for it's own A55 at the moment.
I still think there is a place in the model lineup for a good OVF, video hassel free APS-C DSLR, I know which I'd prefer, but we won't get the opportunity to buy one anyway, so it's wait and watch mode for me.
btw why should one have to turn off the SSS in a camera to avoid overheating?
Greg

I'm not of the view Sony have given the DSLR market their best shot/effort. Some good bits A700 A900, some decent ones A200-350 (first release models) some lazy sideways steps A850 should have been a lower mp fast fps sports/low light killer it wasn't. Entry range downgraded and made almost irrelevant in the market place (A230-380 to date) A550 just a stop gap model.
Simply moving to SLT isn't going to change a lot bar Video AF and a fast FPS most folks I talk to don't even mention EVF or OVF.

It's the package/system as a whole that counts and folks do look at that.

Sony themselves hae said that if they release the same level camera as canikon their's will do less well. If the objective is to gain market share relative to canikon then copying what they do WILL FAIL. The large number of sales canikon have means that you have to produce a much better camer, which costs more, and sell it for less than them, which is imply not going to be commercially viable for a very long time. It's a business, not a service to enthusiast photographer's. You never seem to understand this. The only way to get to 20% and more is by changing the game.

What do you care anyway, pentax user?

The sensors being in short supply must be the reason why D7000 is so wastefully available all around the place...